Sixth annual Record Store Day celebrated

HOLLYWOOD, April 20 (UPI) -- More than U.S. 1,000 stores participated in Record Store Day Saturday, with about 400 special music releases honoring the day, an event co-founder said.

Record Store Day co-founder Michael Kurtz said the special releases scheduled for Saturday each averaged sales of 2,000 units, totaling approximately 800,000 units worth $8 million in potential sales.

Among the releases are a special cassette-only single by Jack White, a new record by Rob Zombie with reserve grooves for backward play and a four-LP special edition of the Flaming Lips' 1997 release Zaireeka, The Hollywood Reporter said Friday.

In addition to the special releases, some record stores hosted performances by bands and DJs, including a sold-out performance by the Silversun Pickups at Origami Vinyl in Los Angeles.

Record Store Day had humble beginnings in 2008, when only 10 special releases by the likes of Metallica, Death Cab for Cutie and R.E.M. were launched, The Hollywood Reporter said.

"Every year we think it can't get much bigger, and every year it does," said co-founder Carrie Colliton. "We had no idea when we decided to throw a party to shine a spotlight on the culture of the indie record store what would come of it. We love it, we just had no idea."

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